Lyon and cinema: an eternal love
 

Film lovers will find a "mecca" of film in Lyon, a place they cannot miss The passion for the seventh art can be felt across the city. Likewise, Lyon's inhabitants enjoy a large number of film-related activities and festivals throughout the year. Our AVE (high-speed) France trains, AVE (high-speed) International travelling between Spain and France will take you from Barcelona to Lyon in the time it takes to watch 2 films. Comfortable, quick and sustainable!

Do you want to discover the most cinematic side of Lyon? 3, 2, 1… Action! 

The origin of cinema ​ 

The fathers of cinematography are the famous brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière. Since a young age, they were passionate about photography, thanks to their father and, from 1892, they worked together to capture moving images, creating the first cinematograph in history. 

Their first film was "Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory", filmed in 1895, turning the image into a real revolution in its time. 

If you want to know more about the history of the Lumière brothers, you will find it in Lumière Museum​, a walkthrough the history of the seventh art. It can be found in a building built in 1900 that was the home of the Lumière family. A true cultural space dedicated to cinema, with posters, models, photographs, projectors and film equipment from different eras, cult objects for any film lover. It also has rooms where films are screened and publications on cinema are presented. 

Lumière Museum 
 

Lyon Film Festival 

Lyon Film Festival is held at the end of October, a festival that, in its few years of life, has become one of the most important festivals in Europe. ​ 

During the week, hundreds of films can be viewed in their original version, as well as retrospectives, theme nights, exhibitions, master classes, meetings, debates, actors and film-makers signing autographs, etc. Without forgetting the sessions for young audiences.

In the first editions of the festival, the Lumière Prize was awarded to Clint Eastwood, Milos Forman, Gérard Depardieu, Ken Loach, Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Martin Scorsese and Catherine Deneuve, in the presence of numerous celebrities and personalities of the seventh art.​​​ 

Cinema in the city

You can breathe the passion for cinema across Lyon, where you will find a large number of cinemas and watch from first-run films to universal classics.

There are quite a few rooms in the Presqu'île area: two Pathé cinemas, the cinemas of the CNP group (Cinéma National Populaire) and an independent cinema with two theatres: Cine Opera, located near the Lyon Opera, and the Cinéma, located further north. There are two UGC cinemas in Part-Dieu district. And there are several UGC cinemas and others in the Cité internationale, on the left bank of the Rhône. In addition, Croix-Rousse ​also has its own cinema.

Optical illusions of cinema

One of the hallmarks of Lyon are its large number of optical illusions​ across the façades of its dwellings. These works of street art also pay tribute to the world of cinema. Look for them around the city and let yourself be carried away by their beauty. 

Façade of Pathé cinema in Lyon
 

Travel to Lyon by train

Although the simile is simple and we wouldn't be wrong if we said that Lyon is an awesome city, the truth is that all of France could be turned into a great film saga. We invite you to live the experience of playing in your own film by taking our AVE (high-speed) France trains, Alta Velocidad (high-speed) International travelling between Spain and France.

Have you chosen the destination of your next cultural visit? Choose how you would like to travel and what you would like to visit and we will define the destinations and means of transport. Have you found out about our discounts? Take advantage of these offers and get the best price on your train ticket.